Brad Rawiller has been booked to ride Gailo Chop in the 2015 Cox Plate and the talented hoop is extremely excited to get his first feel of the imported galloper ahead of the Group 1 event at Moonee Valley on October 24.
Brad Rawiller has been booked to ride Gailo Chop in the 2015 Cox Plate. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Gailo Chop was purchased by OTI Racing after he recorded an impressive win in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume D’Ornano (2000m) at Deauville in France in August of last year and he made his debut for his new owners with a second place finish behind Solow in the Group 1 Prix D’Ispahan (1850m) at Longchamp on May 24 before he failed to fire in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (2011m) at Royal Ascot on June 17.
The Deportivo gelding returned to his best form with a dominant four lengths victory in the Group 3 La Coupe De Maisons-Laffitte (2000m) on September 18 and Rawiller told Racing.com that he is delighted with the form lines of the import ahead of the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).
“I am very excited,” Rawiller said.
“He has ticked the right boxes, he is coming along really well and I am excited to get onto his back and get a feel of him.
“I have been right back through his form and you can get a line through Adelaide and he was in the race against Criterion where he still ran well even though that was the race where he least performed.
“He was only a length behind where Criterion finished and after that his last win was very dominant.”
Rawiller rode in the Cox Plate for the first time when he partnered Niconero in the 2007 edition of the race and he hasn’t ridden in the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship since he finished 13th on Avienus in 2011.
The talented hoop believes this is easily his best opportunity to win the Cox Plate and he said that he can’t wait to get his first feel of Gailo Chop in the next week.
“I’ve had a few rides on Niconero and a few others, but this is a real genuine chance and I love all the lines leading into it,” Rawiller said.
“It is going to be different being at Moonee Valley for him, but I can’t wait.
“His travel was as good as you could have asked for and he is eating up, which is all that you can ask for.”
Gailo Chop is currently available at 2015 Cox Plate odds of $17 with Ladbrokes, while Criterion ($5.50) remains a clear favourite from Kermadec ($6.50), Winx ($7), Highland Reel ($8), Arod ($9) , Fawkner ($11) and Press Statement ($11).
